Oklahoma
OKC uses Ward 4 as a dumping ground. Here’s a 180° mitigation concept for the new Oklahoma County jail
As a resident of Ward 4 in Oklahoma City and as a professional land planner, I am offering a site-planning solution that can be part of mitigating the impact of the proposed detention center (jail) on Del City, on neighborhoods in Oklahoma City, and on Ward 4 in general. The SP-588 will be heard by the city council on May 21.
Gist: My proposed “180° Mitigation Treatment” first and foremost controls where detainees can be released by having a key part of the detention center campus turned 180°, having a buffer area along Grand Boulevard, and Oklahoma City closing/fencing SE 22 Street near the SP-588 southern jail entrance.
I have prepared and attached an unpolished handmade concept graphic of the “180° Mitigation Treatment” that modifies exactly what was shown at the Oklahoma City Planning Commission.
The proposed SP-588 jail location and design are just the latest example of the city of Oklahoma City’s pattern and practice of dumping unwanted and undesirable land uses into the edge area of Ward 4, where I have resided over 40 years. Some examples are an asphalt batch plant, car crushing plant, the huge Bryant landfill and more. SP-588 also unacceptably left the western 1/3 of the site vacant for future jail large-scale expansion. There appears to be no legal way to guarantee that detainees would be transported downtown for release, so an urban planning design solution can be the answer.
The proposed design mitigation solution is the “180° Mitigation Treatment” I developed and first transmitted in April to elected officials with Oklahoma City, Del City and the county commissioners.
Opinion: Mid-Del School Board member: There aren’t resources to support the jail at the proposed site.
Del Cityans have a valid set of realistic security, property value and other concerns about the county jail/detention facility being a block from Del City. My preference would be to have the new jail somehow be in the downtown OKC area or part downtown, part outside. However it seems destined to be entirely located at Grand Boulevard.
The rotating of the public parking area, public access and offices/staff-areas by 180° to the west of the jail cell “pods” means the east area is proposed to be replaced by more than a 200-foot-deep green buffer space and an attractively designed concrete wall like those along some highways, both visible along Grand Boulevard. This site plan solution would hide the planned 12-foot-tall Grand Boulevard side’s ugly chain link fence (topped by looping razor wire) behind a wall.
That way, when looked at from the east, the buffer green space and wall keep the jail out of sight, out of mind to youth of all ages. This “180° plan” makes it to where any person released from the jail would have to walk over a half mile to Eastern Avenue, then figure out how to walk over a mile to enter Del City or any other Oklahoma City neighborhood. It is highly unlikely the released detainees would want to walk so far.
This 180° plan recommends various cooperative negotiated agreements to help other fund mitigation measures for the benefit of the impacted city of Del City to be part of the solution for all parties.
More: Del City residents fear a loss of their way of life if a jail is built nearby
Finally, I have been acquainted with and affected by this site for over 50 years now, as I grew up just inside Del City, hiked the site as a boy when it was still an old growth dense woodland, watched as that was chopped down and replaced with a massive public housing project (Hamilton Courts), and went to junior high with kids from there. All that is part of why I became an urban planner, so I want to help.
Larry Hopper is a certified planner and former principal planner and planning manager for the city of Oklahoma City Public Transportation and Parking Department.
Oklahoma
What time, TV channel is the Oklahoma Sooners vs Auburn football on today? Free live stream, spread, game odds
The No. 21 ranked Oklahoma Sooners face the Auburn Tigers with a true freshman quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr. being named the starter after an impressive second half in a loss to Tennessee last week. This game kicks off at 12:30 p.m. PT/3:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, September 28 with a live broadcast on ABC, and streaming live on ESPN Plus.
• WATCH: Auburn vs. Oklahoma football live for FREE with Fubo (free trial), or stream this game and more on the cheap with one month of ESPN+ (costs $10.99/month, cancel anytime).
The betting odds for this game have moved all over the place, originally opening with the Sooners as the favorites. However, most sportsbooks now have Auburn as slight favorites over Oklahoma in this matchup.
What TV channel is the Oklahoma vs. Auburn game on?
When: Kickoff takes place at 12:30 p.m. PT/3:30 p.m. ET (2:30 p.m. CT) on Saturday, September 28.
Where: Jordan-Hare Stadium | Auburn, AL
TV Channel: ABC, and streaming on ESPN Plus
How to watch live stream online: If you don’t have cable, you can still watch this game live for FREE with Fubo (free trial). If you are out of free trials, the cheapest and best way to watch this game and more football this month is by signing up for one month of ESPN+ (costs $10.99/month, cancel anytime).
If you already have a cable or satellite subscription already, you can watch the game on Watch ESPN or the ESPN app by signing in with your provider information.
You can find out more about which channel ABC is on in your area by using the channel finders here: Comcast Xfinity, DIRECTV, Dish, Verizon Fios, Spectrum/Charter, Optimum/Altice.
Oklahoma vs. Auburn spread, betting odds
Point Spread: OU: +1 | AUB: -1
Moneyline: OU: -105 | AUB: -115
Over/Under: 44.5
The list of unavailable players for the Sooners just keeps growing.
Oklahoma linebacker Dasan McCullough will not be available for OU’s game against Auburn at 2:30 pm. Saturday, according to the most recent SEC availability report that was released Friday night. McCullough also missed last week’s game against Tennessee after being listed as doubtful most of last week. He was listed as questionable this week until Friday.
McCullough joined a list of 10 other Sooners that will be unavailable for Week 5. The only other OU player included on the availability report was offensive lineman Jake Taylor, who was listed as probable. Unless he’s considered a game-time decision, Taylor’s status will be known when the final availability report is released 90 minutes before OU and Auburn kicks off.
The bright side of this week’s report is that it looks like Geirean Hatchett, who is out for the season, will be the only offensive lineman the Sooners will not have available.
Those unavailable include five of OU’s top receivers in Jayden Gibson, Jalil Farooq, Nic Anderson, Andrel Anthony and Deion Burks. Gibson has already been ruled out for the season, while Farooq is expected to miss 6-8 weeks after breaking his foot in the Sooners’ season opener against Temple. Anderson made his first appearance of the season last week but was injured during the opening drive.
Burks was the newest receiver added to OU’s injured reserve on Thursday after also suffering an injury against Tennessee. Burks is the Sooners’ leading receiver with 26 receptions for 201 yards and three touchdowns. The next leading pass catcher is tight end Bauer Sharp with 14 catches and 116 yards.
So many injuries to OU receivers even influenced Brent Venables to switch cornerback Jacobe Johnson to wide receiver. And the Sooners are enduring all these injuries at receiver as freshman Michael Hawkins Jr. is set to make his first career start Saturday.
Freshman running back Taylor Tatum and defensive back Kendel Dolby were also injured last week. Tatum was ruled out on Thursday, while Dolby, who plays the cheetah position, will miss the rest of the season after undergoing surgery on Wednesday. Fellow defensive back Gentry Williams was also ruled unavailable for Saturday.
The biggest shock of this week was kicker Tyler Keltner, who will be unavailable after an emergency appendectomy. Zach Schmit will presumably take over all kicking duties after participating in only kickoffs so far this season.
As for Auburn, the Tigers’ list is much shorter. Auburn will be without defensive backs Tyler Scott and Champ Anthony, as well as tight end Brandon Frazier. Defensive lineman Isaiah Raikes, kicker Alex McPherson and offensive lineman Izavion Miller are listed as probable.
WR Jayden Gibson, Out
LB Dasan McCullough, Out
WR Jalil Farooq, Out
WR Nic Anderson, Out
WR Andrel Anthony, Out
WR Deion Burks, Out
RB Taylor Tatum, Out
DB Gentry Williams, Out
DB Kendel Dolby, Out
OL Geirean Hatchett, Out
K Tyler Keltner, Out
OL Jake Taylor, Probable
DB Tyler Scott, Out
DB Champ Anthony, Out
TE Brandon Frazier, Out
DL Isaiah Raikes, Probable
K Alex McPherson, Probable
OL Izavion Miller, Probable
Veteran quarterback Payton Thorne will start for Auburn when No. 21 Oklahoma visits Jordan-Hare Stadium Saturday afternoon, sources told ESPN’s Pete Thamel Friday.
Thorne, the former Michigan State transfer, started 13 games for the Tigers last fall. He returned as the program’s starter in 2024 before he was replaced by redshirt freshman Hank Brown in Week 3. In Thorne, Auburn will have an experienced starter under center in Week 5 against a Sooners defense that leads the nation in turnovers (12) and ranks 28th in total defense this fall.
Auburn initially turned to Brown after Thorne threw a career-high four interceptions in a 21-14 home defeat to Cal on Sept. 7. Brown led the Tigers past New Mexico in his first career start in Week 3, but struggled against Arkansas last Saturday, completing 7-of-13 passes for 72 yards with three interceptions. After Auburn went scoreless before halftime, Thorne took over at quarterback in the second half of the 24-14 home loss, finishing 13-for-23 for 213 yards with two touchdowns and interception.
Both quarterbacks turned in strong weeks of practice ahead of this weekend’s visit from Oklahoma, but Auburn will go with Thorne Saturday, banking on his experience and the momentum he built in his relief work against Arkansas as the Tigers chase their first SEC win of 2024.
Auburn hosts the Sooners at 3:30 p.m. ET Saturday on ABC in Oklahoma’s first SEC road game.
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